Escape construction for submarines



M. R: MEAD; 2,324,157

ESbAPE-CONSTRUCTION FbR SUBMARINES Filed N'v. 12, 1941 s Sheets- Sheet a MERLE/(M540 IN ENTOR, fi r 7 ATTORNEY the exterior of the submarine.

partment a cylindrical flask is provided, each Patented July 13, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ESCAPE CONSTRUCTION FOR SUBMARINES Merle K. Mead, Pasadena, Calif.

Application November 12, 1941, Serial No. 418,776

5 Claims.

The present invention pertains to the construction of a submarine and is particularly dirooted to an arrangement of elements whereby the occupants of a disabled submarine may escape to the surface without flooding the interior thereof and without the use of extraneous devices or assistance. Moreover, the construction and arrangement hereinafter disclosed permits the crew of a disabled submarine to escape and to be provided with means for survival on the surface of the ocean or other body of water for protracted periods of time.

Generally stated, the invention contemplates the provision of a plurality of compartments formed in the outer walls of a submersible, each of the compartments including a port leading from the interior of the submarine into the compartment and an outer door communicating with Within each comflask being adapted to receive a member of the crew, each flask being also provided with a releasable closure and with means, operable from within the flask, for floodin the compartment in which such flask is located, and for opening the door which places the compartment in communication with the exterior of the submarine.

These and other elements permit a member of the crew to enter an individual compartment and flask contained therein, temporarily seal such compartment from communication with the interior of the submarine, and then flood such com-- partment and open the outwardly directed door thereto so as to permit the entire flask, including the member of the crew, to rise to the surface of the body of water in which the submarine is submerged. Upon reaching the surface, the flask will assume a vertical position and float, thereby permitting the member of the crew to open a port in such flask and either leave the flask or remain in the flask, send up signals, and float in such flask, protected from the elements,

until he is picked up by a rescue vessel.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to disclose and provide means for facilitat ng the escape of men from a disabled or sunken submarine.

A further object of the invention is to disclose and provide means which permit members of the crew of a sunken submarine to escape therefrom without extraneous assistance.

For purposes of illustration, reference will be had to the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, diagrammatic in part at least, of a submarine provided with a plurality of escape hatches of the character contemplated by this invention.

, Fig. 2 is a transverse section through a submarine illustrating the position which may be assumed by the escape hatches and also indicating the position of one of the escape flasks after it has been released.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken through one of the escape hatches along the plane III III of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken along the plane IV-IV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section along the plane VV of Fig. 3 with the flask removed.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through an escape hatch with the outer door in raised or open position.

By referring to Figs. 1 and 2 it is to be noted that the submarine there depicted is provided with a plurality of escape hatches or compartments which are indicated in Fig. 1 by the doors I, 2, 3 and the like. A row of these compartments may be arranged on either side of the deck of the submarine. The compartments may either extend outwardly from the normal upper contours of a submarine or they may be extended inwardly from such normal contours as shown in Fig. 2, thereby not interfering with the normal contours.

Each of the compartments is provided with a closable port adapted to place the compartment in communication with the interior of the submarine. For example, the compartment Ill may be provided with a port 5 formed in its lower wall, this port being normally closed by means of a sliding cover 6 provided with a downwardly extending lug l slidably fitting a depression or groove formed in the bottom plate 8 of the compartment, the groove 9 adjoining the port 5. Along each side of the port 5 guiding rails II and I2 may be provided (Fig. 4:), these rails coupled with the lugs 1 permitting the cover 6 to be moved so as to open or close the port 5. Extending through the cover 6 may be a partially rotatable member i3 provided with a lever i on the inner side of the cover 6 (Fig- 5), this lever I 4 being connected by links l5 and I 6 to bell cranks I1 and I8 respectively, these bell cranks being adapted to engage with depressions formed in the rails H and i2 so as to latch the cover in position. A small handle 19 may be provided on the other side of the cover plate 6 for the purpose of actuating the latching means I7 and i8 from within the submarine and for visually indicating the position of such latching means.

Each compartment is also provided with an outwardly movable door for placing such compartment in communication with the exterior of the submarine. This outer door plate is indicated at and is shown as hinged at 2|. Upstanding lugs 22 may be provided adjacent the hinged ends of the door 2i] for the purpose of preventing the door from swinging outwardly so as to cover an adjacent compartment door. Within each compartment there is contained a flask of a size and form adapted to receive a human. In the drawings a cylindrical flask provided with a body portion 23 and a head 24 has been illustrated. The body portion 23 may be formed of metal having oircumferentially extending corrugations. The bottom of the flask is closed and may contain or carry emergency rations, signal flares, a small bottle of oxygen or other supplies deemed desirable for use in such flask. The head 24 is preferably in the form of a truncated cone provided with a cover plate 25 and with a releasable closure 25 covering an aperture or port. The releasable closure 26 may be curved to the contours of the head 24 and may be slidable within guiding lips 28 and 29 carried by the head 24. Each of the doors 26 may be provided with a window 30 of any suitable construction. A rotary, shutter-type of window capable of being manipulated from within the flask may be provided for the purpose of permitting the occupant to obtain some air without opening the entire door, this form of ventilator being very useful when the flask has been used for escape purposes and floats upon the surface of the sea, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The flask may be supported within its compartment in any suitable manner. In the form of device shown, brackets 33 and 34 attached to the side walls of the compartment and supporting the bottom of each flask have been illustrated. The outwardly movable door 20 may rest against the upper surface of the flask when in closed position, it being understood that suitable gaskets are employed in all of the doors for purposes of rendering the same water tight.

When the flask is supported within its compartment, the releasable closure or door 26 is in close proximity to the cover 6 so that by moving the cover 6 so as to uncover the entry port the opening into the head 24 of the flask is made available and a member of the crew of a submarine which has been disabled may readily enter the flask through the port 5. After entering such flask he may then close the port 5 by moving the cover 6 into place and locking the After entering the flask he may rotate same. the door 28 so as to close the opening into the head of the flask and suitable latching means on the interior of the flask will hold the door 26 in closed position.

Means operable from within each flask are also provided for admitting fluid into the compartment and for releasing the outwardly movable door 20. In the example illustrated herein each door 20 is provided with a valve 36 which is normally closed but which is adapted to permit the entry of water from the exterior of the submarine into the compartment. Such valve may be of a quick-acting type and may be actuated by means of a lever 31. Latching means may also be provided for normally holding the door 20 in closed or locked position and such latching means may comprise a latching finger 33 adapted to engage a dog carried by the end of a pivoted bell crank lever 39 (Fig. 4), the opposite end of the bell crank lever carrying a link 40 provided with the member 4| extending inwardly toward the head of the flask.

The means for actuating the valve 36 and the latching means from within the flask may comprise a hand wheel 43 mounted upon a stud shaft 44 extending through the cover 25 of the flask, the stud shaft 44 being provided with a crank arm 45 having a cross-piece or extension 46.

After a member of the crew, in effectuating an escape from a disabled submarine, has entered the flask in the manner hereinbefore described and has closed the cover 6 and the door 26, he then may grasp the hand wheel 43 and rotate it in the direction of the arrow indicated in Fig. 4, the extension 48 striking the lever arm 31 and moving the same so as to open the valve 36. The compartment will thus be flooded. Continued rotation of the hand wheel 43 will move the crank arm d5 past the lever 3'! and cause the extension 46 to strike the inwardly directed member H, causing pivotal movement of the bell crank 39 and the release of the latching means which normally hold the door 20 closed. The buoyancy of the flask against the under surface of the door 28 will force such door open and the flask will rise quickly to the surface and float thereon in a vertical position. Upon reaching the surface the occupant of the flask may either open the entire door 26 and thereby obtain fresh-air or in the event the surface is very rough he may avail himself of the small ventilating aperture until such time as he is picked up. Obviously the opening of the head 2c of the flask may be used as means through which an occupant of a flask may send up flares and the like.

It will be evident that after the flask leaves its compartment in the manner described, each compartment is left in a flooded condition, but water will not filter into the interior of the submarine since the port 5 is closed by the cover 6 and it is to be noted that increased pressure within the compartment simply forces the cover 5 into tighter contact with the bottom plate B of such compartment. It is also to be noted that the construction herein disclosed permits every member of the crew to escape, since no crew member needs the assistance of another crew member in actuating the escape mechanism. Moreover, assistance from extraneous sources is not required, thereby obviating the necessity of a disabled submarine waiting for a diver to locate it and suitable diving bells and the like having to be brought into play.

In addition to the means specifically described hereinabove, each of the doors 2% may be provided with a spring releasable by movement of the crank 45 for initiating the outward movement of the door 29 after the compartment has been flooded by opening the valve 36.

It will be evident to those skilled in the art that various other modifications, changes and adaptations may be made, all changes coming within the scope of the appended claims being embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. An escape construction for submarines comprising: a series of compartments formed in the outer Wall of a submarine. each cov pa trnent including a slidablc door means coepcra n"v with a closable port adapted to place the compartment in communication with the interior of the submarine. said doormeans being adapted to seal the port when pressure within the compartment exceeds the pressure within the submarine, an outwardly movable door for placing each compartment in communication with the exterior of the submarine, a flask adapted to receive a human in each of said compartments, each flask being provided with a releasable closure in proximity to the closable port and a single means operable from Within each flask for admitting fluid into its compartment and for releasing the outwardly movable door.

2. An escape construction for submarines comprising: a series of compartments formed in the outer wall of a submarine, each compartment including a closable port adapted to place the compartment in communication with the in terior of the submarine, slidable door means for closing said port, said door being adapted to be tightened by pressure within the compartment, an outwardly movable door for placing each compartment in communication with the exterior of the submarine, a flask adapted to receive a human in each of said compartments, each flask being provided with a releasable closure in proximity to the closable port and a single means operable from within each flask for admitting fluid into its compartment and for releasing the outwardly movable door.

3. An escape construction for submarines comprising: a series of rectangular compartments formed in the outer wall of a submarine, each compartment including an outwardly movable door for placing the compartment in communication With the exterior, said door being normally tightened by external pressure; a port communicating such compartment with the interior of the submarine, and a slidable door means for closing said port, said door means being adapted to seal the port when pressure within the compartment exceeds the pressure within the submarine; and a flask adapted to receive a human in each of said compartments, each flask being provided with a head portion including a closure slidably attached to the head and adapted to tighten when pressure externally of the flask is greater than that within the flask, said closure being in proximity to the port communicating the compartment with the interior of the submarine.

4. An escape construction for submarines comprising: a series of rectangular compartments formed in the outer Wall of a submarine, each compartment including an outwardly movable door for placing the compartment in communication with the exterior, said door being normally tightened by external pressure; a port communicating said compartment with the interior of the submarine, and a slidable door means for closing said port, said door means being adapted to seal the port when pressure Within the compartment exceeds the pressure within the submarine; a flask adapted to receive a human in each of said compartments, each flask being provided with a head portion including a closure slidably attached to the head and adapted to tighten when pressure externally of the flask is greater than that within the flask, said closure being in proximity to the port communicating the compartment with the interior of the submarine; and latching means operable from within the compartment for locking the slidable door and simultaneously moving an indicator within the submarine.

5. An escape construction for submarines comprising: a series of rectangular compartments formed in the outer wall of a submarine, each compartment including an outwardly movable door for placing the compartment in communication with the exterior, said door being normally tightened by external pressure; a port communicating said compartment with the interior of the submarine, and a slidable door means for closing said port, said door means being adapted to seal the port when pressure within the compartment exceeds the pressure within the submarine; a flask adapted to receive a human in each of said compartments, each flask comprising a cylindrical body portion and a head in the form of a truncated cone, said body portion being formed of circumferentially corrugated metal, a port in the head of the flask, a slidable closure member carried by the head for closing the port, said closure being adapted to be tightened by pressure externally of the flask, and an actuating lever extending from the head and operable from within the flask; and a releasable valve means for communicating each compartment with the exterior of the submarine, said releasable valve means being operable by the actuating lever from within the flask.

MERLE K. MEAD. 

